Personal,but not private

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 6:1

Ever try reconciling the above? Seems, at least at first glance, that they contradict one another. The best I can figure out the first is about our lifestyle, the second is about our financial choice.

Either way it seems to make clear in the first case that my relationship with God is meant to be personal, my actions impacted by who I am in relation to Christ. But that within that relationship, my actions are to be public otherwise others could not see and glorify God. Too bad what others all too often see would not reflect very well on the Father.

But those are my marching orders

My actions are to be done in such a way that they glorify God. When I was younger that was rarely the case. Rash, brash, and self-absorbed, I would rush head long often doing the first thing that came to mind. Actions that would often not bring glory to God. Want I needed to do was slow down, stop and think about how what I am about to do and how it will reflect on God. Still I far to often still jump in with both feet without asking how does this show the Father, what will people think of God if I take the action I am thinking about?

Just like me, most people probably identify you as a Christian. It probably doesn’t matter if you’ve told them or not. The question is do you let your light so shine that people look at you and glorify your Father?